Brombies, The

A bluegrass/folk duo featuring Jo Ellen and George Doering (guitar and mandolin).

Formed in the late 1980’s.

They named their group after “the brumby’s,” wild horses that roam the outback of Australia, brought there by Jack Brumby, “The Man From Snowy River”, in the 1880’s. They discovered too late that they had misspelled the name.

Jo Ellen Doering began playing bluegrass in San Diego in the 1960’s (influenced by the Scottsville Squirrel Barkers with Kenny Wertz, Bernie Leadon, Chris Hillman, Larry Murray and Ed Douglas). Later toured with Hoyt Axton, the Smothers Brothers and Ricky Nelson.

George Doering studied music at San Diego State University and has worked as a studio musician and touring sideman with such artists as Sonny and Cher, Seals and Crofts, and others.

Other members of the group have included Bill Bryson (bass), Gabe Witcher (fiddle), Patrick Sauber (banjo) and other Southern California musicians.